You’d be surprised how many people worry about being bag ladies or bag men. The image is in their heads as pervasive scenarios. Not very productive thinking, to be sure! Take a look at what worries actually are: They’re negative thoughts projected onto the future. They’re fearful pictures of  the worst possible outcomes. Some people feel that they protect themselves by preparing for the worst. But instead, they’re really creating defeated scenarios  with their worries.  Let’s take a look at what you can do instead. Here are seven alternatives.

1. First, pay attention to your breathing.

When you worry, your breathing is shallow. See if you can breathe deeply, bringing fresh  oxygen and prana ( life force) into your body and mind. As you breathe in tell yourself that you’re worrying again. As you breathe out, tell yourself that you’re now letting go of these worries. You don’t want to paint a picture of the worst possible thing that can happen. You have better things to do.

2. Create a new scenario based on expanded possibility.

What might be an alternative vision for you? Instead of the bag lady or man, what is calling to you? How would you like to see yourself? A successful person assisting others to be successful also? A  happy, loving being? Take the paintbrush of your mind, and construct something else that’s joyful, prosperous, healing, and full of love.

3. Develop a state of faith that everything is working out.

You can first tell yourself: “Things have a way of working themselves out.”  As you examine the events of your  life, they may have seemed difficult at the time, but you’re here. You’ve grown beyond them. Something was being accomplished or learned in the process, and everything has a way of working itself out . You might even think in terms of a benevolent universe with difficult things happening to purify and cleanse the spirit. Everything is here to raise your consciousness, and you are on a path of great self knowledge and expansion.

4. Hypnotize yourself into a positive mindset

You may want to close your eyes as you breathe and count some numbers backwards very slowly. Get into a relaxed state  in which you can see your worries as scenarios that you’ve made up. Breathe some more as you do the next step.

5. Contact your wisdom

Ask yourself, “What would my Wise Mind tell me about this?”  You may want to write out, type out or record your answer. You might want to just speak it or think it. The Wise Mind is supportive, loving, and gentle . See what it would like to tell you about your worries. See if it has some other ideas for your well being and your life.

6. Create affirmations

You can make up some phrases that will help you to think more positively. Or you can adopt such  positive affirmations at these:

* “There’s always more.” That’s a really good one, telling you to keep on keeping on. There’s always more.

*  “God is helping me and showing me the way.” This is good if you have a spiritual nature, and it allows in the forces of the universe to embrace your mind and life.

* “I AM the power of healing and I AM healing myself now.” This is particularly powerful, and the  I AM is capitalized because it invokes the universal power of expanded consciousness to guide and assist you.

* “I AM the power of prosperity.” You keep the pictures positive and open your mind for the universe to give you abundant gifts.

7. Take action.

Doing something constructive will shift  your energy, and it can lead you to solutions. If you don’t know what to do, write down some ideas. Brainstorm with yourself, and then take one or two of those ideas and begin to take action. Call someone. Read something. Meditate. Open yourself for all the opportunities that are coming your way. Open your mind to sunshine instead of a cloudy day.